In the Rot and the Rust
by Neotoma
Summary: An AU from Countdown #9. Offering Piper godhood was perhaps a mistake…


**Title:** In The Rot and the Rust  
**Author:** Neotoma  
**Characters:** Piper, Desaad, Brother Eye, Trickster  
**Rating:** K+  
**Summary: **An AU from Countdown #9. Offering Piper godhood was perhaps a mistake…

IN THE ROT AND THE RUST

The human was muttering, but Desaad ignored it. He had power now, he had control, all because of his puppet.

Especially as the pathetic creature had just agreed to play… soon, the power of Anti-Life would be unleashed, and Desaad would direct it, using his puppet to dethrone Darkseid and make himself ruler of Apokolips.

The Piper's first notes were odd, repetitive, almost hypnotic. Was that how the Anti-Life sounded as music? Desaad did not know, and that sudden realization sparked fear in his heart, as did the flinty look his supposedly broken human puppet .

"What are you doing?

The human's lips quirked up around his instrument, but there was no warmth in his face. His music continued, soft and rhythmic, surging and ebbing like a tide. It poured around Desaad and through him, making him quake with its quiet, drilling grief.

"It isn't possible!" Desaad yelled.

The Piper tilted his head, and then smoothly rose to his feet, playing all the while.

Desaad backed away, suddenly cold and not wanting to be near the human. "I broke your spirit…" he whined, "I crushed your soul… I…"

"Kneel," the human murmured.

It hurt his knees when he thumped to the ground.

The human stepped close, and hissed, "What you did to Trickster… I _owe_ you for that, Desaad."

**Eye am in control.**

The Piper swung around to glare at the bright disc of Brother Eye. His back hunched and his arms pulled his silver instrument tight against his chest.

"You! You're no better, you horrible thing! You cut that guy apart! What he do to deserve that!?"

Eye dissected Val Armorr. Subject was a time-traveler, thus under the mandate of Brother Eye.

"…That … that's just crazy," the human muttered. Then he tilted his head, and said distinctly, "You're right, Tricks. I can't let this thing go on."

The Piper lifted his chin and straightened his back, glaring at Brother Eye. He brought his pipe out, a bright gleaming length, terrifying in its very simplicity.

"You've run on for a long time," the human said distinctly, tapping his foot against the ground in an ominous rhythm, "Time to cut you down."

He began to play, a quiet angry melody that sounded nothing like the breathy grief-filled tune he had attacked Desaad with.

**Eye am in control! Eye am in control! Eye do not yield to metahumans!**

Piper's eyes narrowed, and he began to voice a percussive rhythm even as he continued to play.

The great disc of Brother Eye flared and shuddered, as the human continued.

**No! Eye must continue! Eye have a mandate! Eye will defend--**

"Tell 'em that God's gonna cut you down," Piper replied, and brought down the walls onto all – human, construct, and New God.

Desaad was surprised to find himself alive as the dust settled. Coated with grime, of course, but he had survived worse.

"Oh. You're okay, then?"

He looked up. The human was sitting on a broken rock wall, looking fairly confused.

"Yes, I—"

"That's good. Don't get up," the Piper said absently, and Desaad found it was an order, as he could not get off his knees when he ignored the human and tried to climb to his feet.

"Huh. I though your talk of the Anti-Life Equation was a load of hooey, but it works. At least on you." The human scratched his chin, looking consideringly at Desaad.

"Clearly, you guys don't know jack about taking care of yourselves, if your entire planet is like this. Ever hear of environmental conservation? What about clean air laws? I bet you don't have universal health care, or even a decent education system…" the human frowned, cocked his head as if listening, and then added, "No, I don't think they know knock-knock jokes, either, Tricks."

"What…" Desaad managed to croak, "what are you going to do?"

"Well," the human smiled. "You've just shown me what kind of power I _have_. And Trickster's right. Clearly, world conquest is in order."

"Earth?" Desaad could facilitate that. Once the human was off Apokolips and focused on his homeworld, Desaad would close the boom tubes to that wretched meta-human infested planet and consolidate his power here.

The Pied Piper smiled, and cradled his slender instrument to his chest. "No. I think we'll start with this one."

Desaad stared up into the disheveled face of the Piper, and heard cackling laughter, ghostly and faint.

"First things first – I want rats," the new Lord of Apokolips said, and smiled.

FINIS


End file.
